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1. Chicago White Sox (21-13) Last 10 (7-3)
What makes the White Sox so good is that they are 21-13 and they have not really hit their full potential yet. Yermin Mercedes has taken the league by storm and he seems to have no signs of slowing down. Their league best +64 run differential is a big reason why they are sitting at the top of the board this week. Pitching is good. Batting is good. It’s the perfect recipe for wins.
2. Boston Red Sox (22-16) Last 10 (5-5)
The Red Sox have been on a tear ever since they were swept by the Orioles to start the season. They might not be the most complete team in the league but they’re playing cohesively. If that keeps up, they have a good chance of taking on the deeper Yankees’ roster for the division title and the American League title. Their drawbacks come in the form of having a relatively easy schedule so far. It’s hard to gauge whether this team is for real or not yet. Their last 3 series were against the Rangers, Tigers, and Orioles and were a rather mediocre 6-5 against them which kept them out of the top spot.
3. San Francisco Giants (22-14) Last 10 (6-4)
I have to give the Giants some love here. They are hanging in there every single game. They have now won 2 series against the San Diego Padres this season and are currently sitting at atop the NL West which also features the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers next week will be vital for the Giants if they plan on being buyers or sellers at the deadline.
4. San Diego Padres (21-17) Last 10 (5-5)
The San Diego Padres are riding high right now. They have only lost one of their last 6 series which has helped push their record to 21-17. Their 2 series against the Dodgers this season has shown that they can give the Dodgers a run for their money if they were to meet in the playoffs. Of course we would all love to see some October games between the Dodgers and the Padres. Right now, I would personally still give the edge to the Dodgers in the playoffs. But it’s the regular season so the Padres have earned their #4 spot.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (20-17) Last 10 (4-6)
It should be really telling how tough the NL West is right now if the reigning World Series champions are in 3rd place for their division. The Giants and Padres have a couple of games over the Dodgers but any slip up and the Dodgers look ready to pounce. The Dodgers had just lost 5 straight series leading into their 2-game series against the Seattle Mariners. They were able to take both games thanks to later inning heroics by Gavin Lux and stellar starting pitching from Julio Urias. Are the Dodgers ready to climb back to the top?
6. St. Louis Cardinals (22-15) Last 10 (7-3)
The Cardinals are playing some great baseball at the moment. They haven’t loss a series in their past 5 and they are currently 7-3 in their last 10. They have a good run differential which sits at +25. Could this be the last great hoorah for Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina? Could Pujols even join as a late season addition to beef up the bench? We’ll find out later in the season.
7. New York Yankees (20-16) Last 10 (8-2)
If Cole keep pitching like Cole then the Yankees are going to be serious contenders for the World Series title this year. Their bats are finally looking like they’re getting hot. Obviously, Giancarlo Stanton has been fueling that rampage. He’s batting .387 over his last 15 games and has 10 RBIs.
8. Oakland A’s (23-15) Last 10 (7-3)
The Oakland A’s are the streakiest team in baseball. Not sure if that’s actually a word but that’s what the A’s are. They started off the season getting swept by the Astros. Then they won 13 straight to get over .500 and it’s been up and down ever since. They are currently on the uptrend with a 7-3 record in their past 10 games. Their run differential is -6 which is terrible considering they are on the top 10 but it speaks volumes to the fact that they are inconsistent.
9. Houston Astros (20-17) Last 10 (5-5)
The Houston Astros continue to play good baseball despite some key injuries to their roster. They just finished off a home series win against the lackluster Angels. Certainly helps that they are in a rather bad division with the Rangers, Athletics, Mariners, and Angels. All of these teams have shown glimpses of greatness but it has never amounted to much. Although, you could still say the same about the Astros as well. But their +44 run differential is what boosts them into the 9th spot this week.
10. New York Mets (18-13) Last 10 (8-2)
Whether it was a rat or a raccoon, they finally seem to be clicking? They have now won 7 games in a row heading into May 14th. The Mets have also won 8 out of their last 10 games. They are in great position to keep climbing the ranks. Their big blow came with DeGrom hitting the IL. Although there is no timeline on when he will be back, a couple of weeks should suffice.
Close but no cigar
The Phillies (20-17 and 7-3 in last 10) are looking good but their run differential is at -1 so it points to some rather inconsistent baseball. If they can have another good week, they are sure to be in the top 10. The Blue Jays and the Rays both have 19 wins and are 6-4 in their last 10. The Blue Jays seem to be in a better place than the Rays to climb the ranks. The Rays pitching has let them down in a lot of games and there doesn’t seem to be help on the way.
The Indians should have honestly made the top 10. They have a 20-14 record and they are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Shane Bieber continues to be excellent and they have a great run differential at +17. And for those of you wondering, the Angels would currently rank around 20th, with their only bright side being that Ohtani seems to be getting better with every game and Rendon is likely to come back from an injury next week.
